Printed circuit contact receptacle



Sept. 23, 1958 A. JACKSON ETAL 2,853,589

PRINTED cmcurr CONTACT RECEPTACLE Filed Feb. 10. 1954 28 (4 42: H 2023 as 2512 22 El 54 20 I8 25 2% i7 zb1 4- la ne g g g i v K ATTORNEY United States Patent PRINTED CIRCUIT CONTACT RECEPTACLE Queens Village, and Boris A. Jackson, Valley Stream, N. Y.

Application February 10, 1954, Serial No. 409,285

6 Claims. (Cl. 339-17) Anton Jackson,

' gether with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed, and in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of one end portion of a receptacle indicating a few contacts and a spacer arranged therein.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating in section a spacer which is employed.

In the accompanying drawing, represents an elongated receptacle body of plastic or other suitable insulating material, the body being defined by parallel side walls 11, note Fig. 2, joined by a bottom wall 12 and end walls, one of which is seen at 13 in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The side walls 11 have, at longitudinally spaced intervals, inwardly extending projections 14 which are arranged at opposed relationship to each other and these projections, or ribs, terminate at their upper ends in beveled surfaces 15, as noted in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

Between the ribs 14 are grooves or recesses 16, in which .contacts 17 are mounted. The bottom wall 12 of the receptacle has raised stop wall portions 18 in alinement with ribs 14 and at opposed sides of the recesses, as clearly noted in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The stop walls 18 limit inward movement of a printed circuit connector 19 into the receptacle, part of one of such connectors being indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawing. These printed connectors are well known in the art and, for this reason, no detailed showing thereof is made, it being understood that the contacts 17 are adapted to complete circuits with the printed connectors through the medium of spring contact arms 20 which are disposed in the recesses 16. The spring contact arms have, at their upper end portion, rounded. contacts 21 terminating in laterally flared ends 22 which are disposed substantially in alinement with the beveled surfaces 15, note Fig. 2,

so that the surfaces can guide the printed connector 19 into position between the rounded contact ends 21 of the spring contacts 20.

The contacts 17 are made from sheet metal in the form of an elongated strip, side portions of which are bent at right angles to the strip in forming the spring arms and these arms are given stability through rib portions 23 which extend along the spring arms onto part of the curved contact portions 21, as will clearly appear from a consideration of Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing. It will also appear that the upwardly extending rce ' 2 portions forming the spring arm contacts include flange portions 24 which extend beyond the slotted portion 25 of the strip to form stop shoulders which engage the bottom wall 12 in positioning the contacts 17 in the recesses 16. The contacts 17 are assembled with the receptacle by movement downwardly through the recesses 16 or, in other words, from left to right, as seen in Fig. 3 of the drawing, the apertured end portions 26 of the contacts passing through aperatures 27 in the bottom wall 12, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. Also fashioned from the strip producing the contact 17 is a spring catch 28 which is flexed in its passage through the aperture 27 and then extends outwardly to engage the bottom wall 12 to prevent accidental detachment of the contacts with respect to the receptacle.

On the other hand, whenever desired, the spring catch or retaining member 28 can be moved into alinement with the strip of the contact and moved through the aperture 27 in disengaging the contact from the receptacle. It will be understood that the apertured end 26 of the contact is utilized for coupling of a circuit wire therewith in any desired manner. The bottom of the receptacle 10 also preferably has at opposite sides of the aperture 27 or, in other Words, at opposite sides of the contacts 17, transverse projecting guard ribs 29 which also rein force the receptacle body.

In using receptacles of the type and kind under consideration, it is customary to arrange a predetermined number of the contacts 17' in a grouped arrangement to receive a printed circuit connector of predetermined size and characteristics and then to arrange a spacer between one group of contacts to partition the same with respect to an adjacent group in a single receptacle, two or more groupsof the contacts being arranged in a receptacle.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, I have indicated at 30 one of the spacers referredto above and, in Fig. 4, of the drawing, the spacer 30 is shown in cross-section and comprises a hollow elongated upper or outer end portion 31 with a depending fingerpiece portion 32 having a spring catch 33, similar to the catch 28. The spacer 30 is also made from a strip of material, similar to the contacts 17, the strip being bent to form the hollow portion 31 in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The spacer fits in one of the recesses 16 of the receptacle and the hollow portion is checked in its inward movement by engaging the bottom wall 12 of the receptacle. It will be apparent that the spacer 30 is readily removable to be adjusted into any desired position in the receptacle consistent with the predetermined arrangement of contacts in the receptacle. The detachable feature of the contacts and spacers provides a-very simple means of adjusting a receptacle foruse in conjunction with printed circuit connectors of different types and kinds in an original installation, or in changing installations from time to time.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A contact receptacle for use in connection with printed circuit connectors, said receptacle comprising an elongated body of insulating material having spaced sides walls joined by end and bottom walls, opposed surfaces of said side walls having longitudinally spaced ribs and intermediate recesses, the ribs of one side wall being spaced from the ribs of the opposed side wall, contacts arranged in the major portion of said recesses, said contacts having opposed spring contact arms arranged in spaced relationship for reception of and engagement with a printed circuit connector arranged in the receptacle between said side walls, said receptacle having elongated narrow apertures opening through the bottom wall of the receptacle in alinement with each of said recesses for passage of the contacts therethrough to project beyond said bottom wall, said contacts havingyieldable means fashioned from the material thereof to engage the bottom wallof the receptacle to prevent displacement of the contacts therefrom, means for reinforcing the spring arms of said contacts, said rihshaving, laterally beveled outer ends, said spring arms having flared outer extremities disposedfs'ubstantially in alinement with the beveled ends of-said'ribs, the bottom wall of'said receptacle having, in alinement with said ribs, stop" Walls checking inward movementof printed circuit connectors, a spacer adapted to b'earra-nged in one of the recesses of the receptacle, the spacer includingla part movable'through the aperture in the bottomwalhofthe receptacle'in alinement with said recesses, andv said 'part having yieldable means retaining the spacer,against accidental displacement from the receptacle.

21A. contact rcceptacle for use. in connection with printed circuit connectors,.,saidreceptacle comprising an elongated body of insulating materiallhaving. spaced side walls .joined ..by..-end..and:.btotton1 walls, opposed surfaces of said Tside walls, thavinglongitudi-nally. spaced ribs and intermediate-recesses, sheet metal contacts arranged in the major portion of: said recesses, said contacts having, at one end portion, elongated opposed spring contact arms, portions of -swhich'extend integrally at right angles to theldngitudinal center. portion of the contact and in spacedjrelationshipfor reception of and. engagement with a printed circuit connector arranged in the receptacle between said side walls, said contact arms being arranged within side edge boundaries of'the other end portion of said contacts, said receptacle having elongated narrow aperturesopening. through vthe bottom wall of the receptacle in alinement with each of saidrecesses for passage of the second 'namedend portion of the contacts therethrough to project beyond said bottom wall, and the second .namedend portions ofsaid contacts having yieldable means fashioned from theimaterial theerof to engage the lower surfaces of the bottom wall of thereceptacle to prevent displacement of. the contacts therefrom.

3. A structure asdefined tintcla-iml, wherein said contactarms includereinforcing: portions extending, along partof 'thearmstand lying, in the. plane of the, second named end. of the contacts. 3

4. Astructure as defined in claim-r2, whereinthe centralQportion of the second named end portion of the con-- tacts includes an upper end terminating at the base of saidarm,.,and the bottom wallof-fthereceptaclehaving, in alinement with said ribs, stopwalls arranged above said terminating end for checking inward movement of the printed circuit connector:

5. A contact receptacle for printed circuit connectors, said receptacle comprising an elongated body of insulating material, said body having a longitudinal passage opening through the upper surface thereof, a bottom wall closing said passage, opposed walls of the passage having longitudinally and transversely spaced opposed ribs and intermediate recesses, said recesses extending into. the bottom wall to a greater depththan the remainder of the bottom wall of the receptacle, said remainder of the bottom wall forming steps limiting inward movement of a connector, said bottom. wall having. narrow apertures communicating with saidextensions of the recesses and opening outwardly through said bottom wall, strip sheet metal contacts arranged in said recesses and having terminal parts at one end adapted to be passed through said narrow apertures to extend beyond said bottom wall, yieldabl'e' means fashioned, from the material of said parts adaptedto'enga'getthe lower surface of the bottomwall in retaining the contacts againstdisplacement'from said receptacle, the other endport'ion of said contacts having opposed spring arms arranged at'right' angles to said terminal parts and in spaced' relationship for receptio'nof an engagement with a printed circuit connector arranged in the receptacle between said'sid' walls, and the lower ends of said arms seating in' said extensions of'said recesses in checking downward movement of the contacts in the receptacle;

6. A structure as defined in claim 5, wherein the central portion of the terminal part includes'anj upper end terminating below the stops 'checking in'ward movement of the connector in said receptacle.

References 'Cited in the file of this. patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,541,548 Kreisheld Apr. 10, 1923 1,553,952 Nero Sept." 15, 1925 2,157,428 Obszarny May's, 1939 2,468,368 Jackson Apt-26," 1949 2,514,562 Stickney -2 July-11', 1950 2,664,552 Ericsson et a1. a D'ec.:29,'195 3 2,701,346 Powell Feb. 1, 1955 2,765,450 Richardson a Oct. 2, 1956 2,799,837 Powell s July 16, 1957 

